I think those rules and restrictions were first applied mainly to make the flying public feel safe, even though the government knew that the chance of someone using an object like these to take down an aircraft is slim to none.

-Jason

All flights have great IFE...get yourself a window seat, thats something no PTV can beat! flew 808 Pacific an Atlanic

The restrictions are completely asinine. The plastic butter knives are moronic. In the hands of a trained attacker, you can kill people with ball point pens, plastic rulers, forks, damn near anything. It is not just the cockpit doors and security cameras. Passengers will not sit and let terrorists hold a plane anymore. They would attack the terrorists immediately, so even if they had knives the passengers and crew will not sit and wait for a resolution.

The metal cutlery rule also applied to all of the restaurants past the security checkpoint, not just the airplanes. Try cutting a steak with a plastic knife. You could probably steal one from the kitchen, however.

The 911-rules are partly/mainly due to a naive opinion about security in the public.
If we were to travel very safely by plane, then the CIA pax service level is right: a sleeping pill up your a s, then on with a diaper and handcuffs and so on...
Who wants to travel that way?

"Memento mori"

Of cause I want some degree of security, but I do not support the 911 initiatives fully.

Finally some common sense being applied to air-travel. What I've always found ridiculous, is when airlines hand out plastic knives and metal forks. Not to mention glassware. I mean for god's sake, those bloody butter knives they used to have could barely even cut that, butter. And yet they think that a fork or a broken glass (or for that matter a pen, ruler, walking stick etc etc) is harmless.
Finally it would seem that the hysteria that followed 9/11 is slowly starting to make way for good old commonsense.